Why choose URD?

Published: 2014/11/23

Why choose URD?

Despite being located in the holy city of Qom, the scientific, cultural and geopolitical heart of Shiite community, URD welcomes all students with any religion from around the world. There are many reasons why you should study at URD too.

URD is unique. As a non-governmental non- profit university it is the only higher education institution in the Middle East, and may be the world, specializing only in the study of all divine or non-divine religions and denominations ranging from Shiism to Shintuism, an advantage that astonishes all our globally outstanding visitors such as Father Joel Carl Hunter, US president, s spiritual advisor, archbishop Leo Bocardi, the ambassador of Vatican or archbishop Feoflakt from Russian Orthodox church who do not expect to see a university studying Hinduism or Buddhism in Qom, the leading city of Shiism.

The URD Library is the richest in Iran, with more than 125000 items and extensive electronic resources including books, digital or audiovisual materials in both classical and live languages like Arabic, English, French, German and Sanskrit in addition to Persian, as the only specialist library for the study of all religions and denominations in the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world.

URD offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees. Students can choose from up to 30 degree combinations in the study of religions, denominations, sects, cults and newly-emerged religious or mystical movements with a distinctive regional focus and global relevance, taught by well-educated teachers in specialist faculties.

URD is the only university in Iran in which non-Muslim and non-Shiite professors including Iranian Jewish, Christian or Sunnite professors or those foreigners being invited to hold a short – term course, have a chance to teach the history and theology of their religion or denomination themselves.

URD offers a friendly, vibrant campus in the heart of the world's most significant Shiite city. Qom's rich cultural and social life is literally on its doorstep. It offers students an unparalleled environment in which to live and study, being a center for Shiite seminary schools, a style-setting center of multi-cultural life and intellectual hub. URD, s small size and low ratio of staff to students makes it a unique center for anyone interested in studying on Shiism, with the holy shrine of Shiite renowned Imam Reza, s sister close by.

URD takes student services seriously and offers many sources of support and advice on matters ranging from accommodation and finance to exam worries.

We welcome you to become part of the URD experience and invite you to learn more about us by exploring our website.

The University of Religions & Denominations, the first of its kind in Iran, is an offshoot of the Islamic Seminary established to train experts and conduct research in these very fields. While striving to introduce Islam in the light of the teachings of the Holy Prophet’s Household ... more